Open the Silk app, type a web address or search words into the field at the top, and submit. Silk is Amazon’s browser, and Amazon says it comes preinstalled on Fire tablets, so you don’t need to download anything. You do need an internet connection.
Steps to start browsing
- Connect to the internet. Amazon’s help says browsing requires a connection.
- Open Silk. Find it among your apps. Amazon’s documentation says: “Amazon Silk is pre-installed on your Fire Tablet. Open the App and start browsing.”
- Type in the field at the top. Enter a full website address or plain search words. Silk may suggest sites based on your default search engine and your browsing history.
- Select a suggestion or submit. Tap a suggestion, or tap the arrow on the keyboard.
Silk is built on the Chromium Project and is updated by Amazon. That doesn’t mean every site, video feature or app behaves the same on every Fire tablet generation. Amazon publishes no model-by-model compatibility list.
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Everyday controls
- New tab: tap the plus icon.
- Close a tab: tap the x on the tab. Holding the x offers “Close all tabs”.
- Scroll and zoom: swipe to scroll. Pinch in or out to zoom on pages that support it.
- Menu and left-edge panel: these give access to Reading List, History and Private Browsing. The menu also has find-in-page.
Useful Silk features
Reading View
On select pages, tap the book icon to strip out most graphics, ads and links from an article.
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Reading List for offline reading
Go to Menu > Reading List > Save to Reading List. The saved page can be opened offline.
#1 Best Overall
- Do what you love, uninterrupted — 25% faster performance than the previous generation and is ideal for seamless streaming, reading, and gaming.
- High-def entertainment — A 10.1" 1080p Full HD display brings brilliant color to all your shows and games. Binge watch longer with 13-hour battery, 3 or 4 GB RAM, 32 or 64 GB of storage, and up to 1 TB expandable storage with micro-SD card (sold separately).
- Thin, light, durable — Tap into entertainment from anywhere with a lightweight, durable design and strengthened glass made from aluminosilicate glass. As measured in a tumble test, Fire HD 10 is 2.7 times as durable as the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 (2022).
- Stay up to speed — Use the 5 MP front-facing camera to Zoom with family and friends, or create content for social apps like Instagram and TikTok.
- Ready when inspiration strikes — With 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity, the Made for Amazon Stylus Pen (sold separately) offers a natural writing experience that responds to your handwriting. Use it to write, sketch in apps like OneNote, and more.
Bookmarks and favorites
You can add or edit bookmarks and pin a page as a favorite on the Silk home page. Amazon also mentions a Chrome extension that copies Chrome bookmarks to your Amazon account so they appear on your Fire tablet.
Desktop or mobile site
Use the menu’s Desktop Site or Mobile Site setting. Some sites show different layouts or functions in each mode. Amazon suggests the mobile site for a mobile-optimized experience.
Print or save as PDF
Amazon says you can connect a wireless printer to print a page, or save it as a PDF for offline access.
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Amazon’s Silk FAQ (US English) says browser history is stored locally on the device, where you can view, search or clear it. Silk may also send logs or crash reports. These can include the URL where a problem occurred, recent browsing history, or identifiers such as your IP address or device ID. Amazon describes sending truncated search-page URLs and browsing data such as URLs visited and timestamps for troubleshooting, product improvement and analytics.
Rank #2
- Fire HD 8 offers an 8" HD display for seamless streaming and gaming, coupled with a 5MP rear facing camera for photos—with a thin, light, durable design.
- Fast and responsive with long battery life - With up to 4 GB RAM (2X more than 2022 release), 64GB of storage, and up to 1 TB of expandable storage (sold separately). Hexa-core processor for fast, responsive performance. Up to 13 hours of reading, browsing the web, watching videos, gaming, and listening to music at home and on-the-go.
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- Stream or download your favorite shows, movies, and games (like Minecraft, Roblox, and more). Enjoy your favorite content from Facebook, Hulu, Instagram, TikTok, and more through Amazon’s Appstore (Google Play not supported. Subscription for some apps required).
- Stay connected with family and friends - ask Alexa to make video calls to friends and family or download apps like Zoom.
In Silk’s Privacy settings you can control whether domain data is used for product improvement and analytics. On supported tablets you can also control optional customized recommendations.
Whatever you type in the address or search bar goes to the selected third-party search engine, and that engine’s own privacy policy covers what it collects. Amazon says the initially selected engine may change, and you can change it in Silk settings.
Private Browsing has limits
In Private Browsing, pages from the private tab are removed from Silk history after the tab closes. Downloads and bookmarks remain. Amazon warns that your internet service provider or the websites you visit, including Amazon-affiliated sites, might still see your activity. It isn’t anonymous browsing.
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Adult profile: Parental Controls (13 and older)
Amazon says adult-profile Parental Controls can block web browsing and require a parental controls password for restricted functions.
Rank #3
- Like-New Amazon Fire HD 8 tablet is refurbished, tested, and certified to look and work like new and comes with the same limited warranty as a new device. Like-New Amazon devices may be packaged in generic Amazon-branded boxes.
- Fire HD 8 offers an 8" HD display for seamless streaming and gaming, coupled with a 5MP rear facing camera for photos—with a thin, light, durable design.
- Responsive with all day battery life - Includes 3GB RAM (50% more than 2022 release), 32GB of storage, and up to 1 TB of expandable storage (sold separately). Up to 13 hours of reading, browsing the web, watching videos, gaming, and listening to music at home and on-the-go.
- Save time, get creative - Enjoy three smart tools to help you send polished emails, quickly summarize webpages, and create unique wallpapers.
- Stream or download your favorite shows, movies, and games (like Minecraft, Roblox, and more). Enjoy your favorite content from Facebook, Hulu, Instagram, TikTok, and more through Amazon’s Appstore (Google Play not supported. Subscription for some apps required).
- Swipe down twice from the top of the screen.
- Open Settings, then Profile and Parental Controls.
- Turn on “Restrict access to current profile” and set the password.
This password is separate from the lock-screen password. If you forget it, Amazon says a factory reset is the only way to restore full access, so record it somewhere safe.
Child Profile: Parent Dashboard (under 13)
Amazon says the adult-profile restrictions are designed for users 13 and older. For younger children, use a Child Profile with Amazon Kids settings. In Parent Dashboard, the “Fire Tablet Web Browser” setting offers three levels:
| Setting | Access level |
|---|---|
| Off | No browser access |
| Hand-selected sites and videos | Only content picked by Amazon |
| Filtered | Broader browsing, with specific sites you can block |
The child’s browsing history is available from the Parent Dashboard homepage. Amazon cautions that Amazon Kids+ parental controls don’t extend to other apps, which may need their own controls. It also says no technology replaces parental involvement.
A note on versions
This guide draws on Amazon’s Silk overview, its help pages (UK English versions for the basics and parental controls, US English for the privacy FAQ) and the About Amazon Parent Dashboard guide, checked in October 2026. Menu labels and Parent Dashboard options can vary with your Fire OS version and country.
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